Tombstone
by C.D.Meiss
Summary: Something terrible happens to Arizona's favourite little town...and her favourite friend.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I hold no rights to the movie _Tombstone_, from which I drew inspiration for this story, nor do I own the actual persons portrayed in this story. I do, however, claim this personification of the state of Arizona.

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Tombstone

Wandering through the dusty streets of Tombstone, young Arizona scuffed her moccasin-covered foot against the occasional spit of dry, dead grass as she looked for someone to play with.

Lately, the girls with whom she used to roam around had become too preoccupied with growing up to play with the younger girl—or the girl who they thought was younger than themselves. Even the Indian children had stopped coming to play a game with her in the desert. They didn't even send her a last gift of the pretty trinkets they were so adept at making as an offering of goodbye.

Two weeks ago, Chu'si and Pakwa said that it was becoming too dangerous to be in the town. They never came back.

Arizona rubbed a tear from her eye as she remembered them, silently vowing to never take off the beaded bracelets they had made just for her.

As she was musing to herself and walking past the mercantile, oblivious to the increasingly frantic bustle of late afternoon Tombstone, the young territory crashed into a pair of legs.

"Ah! _Lo siento_!" She cried as rough hands righted her, and pressed her doll into her arms. Squinting against the harsh desert sun, she saw that it was Doctor Holiday.

"_Se__ñor_, you look sick. Are you al—?"

"Lupe, go inside the mercantile." His low voice immediately cut through her concerned tones.

She furrowed her brow. "¿_Por qu_é? Why?"

Adjusting his wide hat, he began to walk away. "The McLaury clan is here."

And he was gone.

The tan little body darted straight through the creaking door of the shop, around the big barrel of prickly pear fruit, and pressed her face into the warped glass pane of the new window.

The McLaurys.

Arizona despised them, as did most of the townspeople, but she had a special hate reserved just for them.

These awful brothers and their associates, the Clantons, were the very reason the young girl had no friends anymore. Not to mention _Tío_ America had to send out the frightening Earp brothers, and poor Doctor Holiday, because of them.

The doctor always looked so sick to Arizona, and she just wished that someone would take care of him.

She also thought that evil spirits lived in that big mustache of Wyatt Earp's.

Arizona subconsciously fingered the golden cross at her neck as the four lawmen appeared within the frame of the window, and she sucked in a breath.

Tom McLaury's figure marred the space of earth beside the empty corral across the street that bore the sign 'O.K.' over it. The evil smile that he wore sent shivers coursing up and down the young territory's spine, but kindled the flames of hatred in her heart as well.

These _atroz _outlaws were going to bring her town to its knees if someone didn't stop them, but that's why Doctor—.

BANG.

Arizona jumped three feet in the air as the first gunshot was fired with a resounding crack. Her precious Kachina doll clattered to the wooden floor and she pressed her nose hard to the glass to watch.

Shot after shot was fired, the dust and smoke rose up to block out the turquoise sky, and it was all over within thirty seconds. Several bodies lay bleeding on the ground, some already dead, others dying slowly.

One of them was her friend the doctor.

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**A/N: **This little thing was idling quietly in my computer for some months while I became caught up with life, so I do apologize for neglecting to post anything recently. I was debating on even posting this first chapter, because I seem to have lost a little of my inspiration. If you like this and wish for me to continue, please tell me! I'm not to pleased with it so far, but I felt that I should post this regardless. I do love little Guadalupe, but she is fickle and complex. But enough of that! Down below for the translations and if there is anything else like this in my other pieces, a 'Span.' by the first word in a column signifies that it and the word following it is in Spanish. As always; Read, Review, and Enjoy!

_C.D.M._

Translations  
Chu'si and Pakwa: Hopi Indian names meaning 'snake flower' and 'frog', respectively.

(Span.) Lo siento: I'm sorry  
Señor: Mr. or Sir  
Por qué: Why  
Tío: Uncle  
Atroz: Atrocious


	2. Chapter 2

Tombstone – Chapter 2

With a cry of fright, Arizona dashed from the shop and out into the dusty street. None of the other men mattered to her anymore. None of the gunfire sounded in her ears, no more smoke fogged her eyes. Heart in her ears, blood in her field of vision, she skidded through the dirt in her worn moccasins and landed on her knees beside her elderly friend.

Impatiently brushing off tears that would soon turn to mud on her cheeks, Arizona tore off her bandana headband and pressed it tightly to the hole in the man's hip. During the frenzy, Virgil Earp had dropped the doctor's cane, and with darting hands Arizona retrieved it from the bush it had rolled under. Townspeople had begun running around, disposing of the dead and arresting the living.

Eyes flickering open, Doctor Holliday grimaced lightly and took the cloth from the young territory, pressing it harder into his hip. "_Gracias_…Lupe."

Somebody picked the child up and was pulling her away from the scene as she tried to think of something that would make sense in English. Doctor Holliday beat her to it. "Don't worry, _chiquita_."

His accent was terrible, but it made her feel a little better. A few of the stronger men milling about helped him up and carried him in the direction of his house, and Arizona lost sight of him.

She was dropped unceremoniously by a cactus on the side of the dusty street, clutching the cane tightly. The young girl sniffed, scrubbing her fists into her eyes as she wondered what to do. What if her friend died? Who would pick the tiny rocks out of her skinned knees; sooth her sunburns with magic ointments; tip his hat to her in the street? Ever since the Clantons had come to her dear Tombstone, Arizona only had the old doctor. She couldn't afford to lose him.

Her own thoughts were beginning to scare her, and as salty tears spilled onto her tanned cheeks she stood up. Brushing her long skirt free of as much dirt as possible, Arizona wandered off into the desert to search for a gift for her _amigo_. Thankfully, she remembered the places Chu'si and Pakwa had shown to her, places where the most lovely desert things grew.

Just as the sun was beginning to set, the little territory found her way back to the main street, and started off for _la casa del doctor._ Her arms were full of globe mallow, Saguaro blossoms, and sagebrush, still warm from the hazy afternoon. Their sweet fragrances lifted her breaking heart just a little higher, the fading sun dried her tears. Her friend's cane poked awkwardly out of the middle of the flowers. The worn path to Doctor Holliday's house was thin and littered with things that should have frightened her instead of offering comfort; familiar brown glass shards and bullet shells.

Copper bracelets jangled together as Arizona raised her hand to the knob, but the door flew open before she could touch it. Wyatt Earp strode out into the orange sunlight, knocking into her shoulder and sending her tumbling to the ground for the second time that day. Her carefully collected blossoms exploded out of her arms only to be trampled by the bad-tempered lawman. He said nothing, mounted his horse, and left.

Arizona gathered her flowers with shaking hands. Why couldn't the Earp _hermanos_ be as nice as Doctor Holliday? Her thoughts were wilted and gloomy as she pushed open the splintery door and crept into the one room house.

"¿_Hola, Se__ñor _Doctor? May I come in?" Her voice was soft as her dark eyes began to adjust to the dimmed lighting.

"Yes."

She jumped, not expecting his voice to come from the chair to her left, on the other side of the half-open door. Arizona stepped farther in, shutting the door with a strong snap. "_Se__ñor_, I bring you _unas floras_—some flowers. And your cane. _Se__ñor_ Virgil left it by…at the…"

She trailed off, not wanting to speak of the terrible fight she had witnessed.

The doctor wore a stern expression as he took the proffered cane and flowers, examining the latter. "_Gracias_. Why did you bring them?" He raised an eyebrow at the child before him.

Arizona looked confused. "To make you feel _más bien_. You were shot, _Se__ñor _Doctor Holliday! Why do you not lay down?"

The older man stared at her hard for a moment, trying to make sense of her words. Suddenly a tiny smile lifted the corners of his grand mustache. "Oh, Lupe, the bullet just grazed my leg. I'm not hurt, just bruised." The smile grew a little wider.

"Not hurt…?" The little territory squeaked, beginning to smile a little to herself. "_Bueno_! I was scared for you."

"No need, Lupe, I'm just fine."

Arizona gave him a rare, wide grin. She wanted to jump and dance and sing, because she knew her friend was going to be alright. "_Se__ñor _Doctor Holliday, I—"

He held up a scarred hand. "Hey. Make it a little easier on yourself and just call me Doc, alright? You don't want me callin' you Guadalupe Maria Carriedo Jones, do ya?"

She made a face as he pronounced her full name in a flat tone. "Doc." She said, trying out the short word with a furrowed brow. "No_,_ Doc Holliday is_ más bien._"

The doctor sighed, shaking his head. "Well, it's a compromise." He looked out the window, glaring softly at the landscape gilded with dying sunshine. "You better run along home now, Lupe."

Nodding, the girl flung wide the door again. "_Sí_, _Señor_—Doc Holliday, I mean." She smiled sheepishly and looked at him for a moment, before running straight to him and hugging his legs fiercely. Before he could do anything, she was out the door and halfway down the dusty path, grinning like the wild thing she truly was.

Her heart was filled to bursting with sunshine and happiness now that she knew that Doc Holliday was alright. He would still clean out the rocks, soothe the burns, and tip his hat.

Life in Tombstone might not be so bad, after all.

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**A/N: **My, how long it has been since I even glanced at this story. This is the second and final chapter that I just cranked out after watching the Tombstone episode of Star Trek. I found that I had spelled Holliday's name wrong in the previous chapter (notice the double 'L's), and actually researched the events a bit further. Enough rambling then, here are the new translations.

Translations:

(Span.) C_hiquita_- Literally "petite", but can be used like "little girl" or "sweetie."  
_Amigo_- Male friend  
_La casa del doctor_- Literally "the house of the doctor" but used as "the doctor's house."  
_Hermanos_- Brothers  
_Hola-_Hello  
_Unas floras_-Some flowers  
_Gracias__-_Thank you  
_Más bien-_Literally "more well" but used as "better."  
_Bueno-_Good


End file.
